Container closure



Dec. 12, 1933. J HOTHERSALL 1,938,592

CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed Oct. 18, 1950 %%E%?R Z Z? WafW Patented Dec. 12,1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER. CLOSURE Application October18, 1930. Serial No. 489,527

3 Claims.

This invention relates in general to dispensing containers and moreparticularly to dredge top containers of the revolving type, adapted tohold and dispense granular materials.

A principal object of this invention is the provision of an improved andnovel sifter closure of the revolving type which provides a peripheralgripping surface permitting of easy and effective engagement andmanipulation by the fingers of the user.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an improved sifterclosure which has tight and leak-proof connection with the container topand which is of simple and inexpensive construction.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a sifter ordredge top construction which consists of a minimum number of parts,which is always properly centered and which presents a neat anddistinctive appearance.

Numerous other objects of the invention will be apparent as it is betterunderstood from the following description, which, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an oblong spice container embodying myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-section through the 30 container top andclosure along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross section through the container top andclosure along the line 33 of Fig. 1.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawing,I have shown a conventional type of spice container having an oblong orsubstantially rectangular container body 11, with rounded corners l2,and a one-piece top 13 joined to the body 11 in any suitable manner asby means of a double seam 14.

The top 13, within the area defined by the double seam 14, iscountersunk and comprises a flat and horizontal main part 15, which isdrawn up at 16 to provide an annular upwardly slanting frusto-conicalwall 1'7, merging at 18'into a fiat and horizontal central panel 19,arranged in a plane above the plane of the main part and paralleltherewith. 00 The central panel 19 is flat and circular in outline andpresents a smooth bearing surface. It is provided with a dispensing orpouring opening 20, located between its center and its outer periphery.

A sifter closure 21 of substantially circular form isadapted tooverlieand revolve upon the raised central panel 19. This sifter closureis preferably stamped out of one piece of sheet metal. It consists of adisc having a central circular pivot opening or perforation 22. It isprovided with a pouring opening 23, coresponding in location andconfiguration to the pouring opening 20 of the panel 19, shown in dottedlines in Fig. 1. This pouring opening 23 is adapted to register with thepouring opening 20 when it is desired to pour out the contents inrelatively large quantities.

A series of comparatively small sifter openings 24 are also provided inthe closure disc 21 and are grouped to register with the pouring opening20 of the raised panel 19 when it is desired to sift the contents ratherthan pour the same.

The material of the closure 21, about its outer periphery, is bent ordeflected at intervals to provide a continuous series of downwardlyextending corrugations 25 which engage the annular inclined orfrusto-conical wall 17 and revolve upon the same when the sifter closureis moved to dispensing or closed position. The ridges of thesecorrugations provide a peripheral gripping surface which permits theeasy and effective manipulation of the sifter disc by the fingers of theuser.

In order to properly anchor the sifter closure 21 upon the raisedcentral panel 19 of the top 13 V and to provide a pivotal connection forits rotation the material of the panel 19 adjacent and beneath the pivotopening 22 of the closure 21 is cut and bent up to form a series ofclamping and guide lugs 26. Three of these struck up lugs are shown inFig. 1, but a greater or lesser number may be employed. The holescreated by the struck up lugs 26 are sealed eflectively by the centralannular margin of metal of the closure 21 which defines the pivotopening 22 and the disk is adapted to revolve beneath the lugs 26 whenthe closure is rotated. y I 1 It will be readily seen that in view ofthe raised position of the sifter closure 21 and the corrugations 25disposed annularly about its outer edge, the closure may be easilygrasped by the fingers of the user and revolved at will to closed ordispensing positions, the while maintaining a tight and substantiallyleak-proof fit between the closure and the raised center of the top. 7

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a dredge top container, a container body having a top securedthereto, said top having a raised, integral portion having a pouringopening, a plate-like closure movably secured to said raised portion andhaving its outer edge extended beyond said raised portion and bent toform alternate depressions and ridges to provide a serrated edge forminggripping means, the depressions being bent down aroundsaid raisedportion.

2. In a dredge top container, in combination, a container body, a topsecured thereto, said top having a raised circular central wall and apouring opening in said wall, and a rotatable circular closure memberwith a pouring opening and sifter openings adapted to register with saidraised wall opening and to close said opening when out of registry, saidrotary member having its margin bent down at intervals to engage aroundsaid circular wall of the top, the marginal parts between the bent-downportions forming a continuous series of corrugations about its outeredge to permit of easy engagement and rotation.

3. In a dredge-top container the combination of a body having a topformed with a bent-up and elevated panel 19 formed with dispensingopenings and having guide and retaining lugs 26 struck out and uptherefrom at intervals, and a closure 21 fitting closely on said panel,and formed with a pivot opening 22 through which said lugs pass andthence are bent down on the closure to retain and guide the same, saidclosure projecting at its margin beyond said panel, and said margin bentto form alternating parts which extend outwardly for convenient graspingby the fingers and downwardly to fit over the outer side of said panel.

JOHN M. HOTHERSALL.

